Florida Gators to seek coach with ‘proven track record’ to succeed Will Muschamp

Florida head coach Will Muschamp watches from the sideline as South Carolina is about to score a touchdown to tie the game and send it in to overtime late in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. South Carolina won in overtime 23-20.
John Raoux
AP

GAINESVILLE

At first, Will Muschamp’s funeral as Florida’s head coach could have doubled as an introductory party.

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He didn’t win at Florida. And that’s what Monday’s press conference what ultimately about.

“We didn’t win enough football games, bottom line,” said Muschamp, who knew “there was a good possibility” he would be fired after Florida’s stunning loss to South Carolina.

“I told the team this is a great example in life. You can work really hard and you can be diligent in what you do, but you’ve got to have results in life, whether you’re in the business world or in the coaching profession, doesn’t matter. You have to produce. If you’re a salesman, you’ve got to sell. If you’re a football coach, you’ve got to win.”

Muschamp was let go Sunday, but he’ll coach UF’s final two games — Eastern Kentucky and Florida State — to close out the season. He will receive all $6million owed on the remainder of a contract that ran through 2017.

Should Florida reach postseason eligibility, Muschamp will not coach a bowl game.

Muschamp is 27-20 at UF, losing a dozen times the past two seasons.

At peace with the finality of a two-year roller-coaster ride, Muschamp acknowledged he wished some things had been done differently.

“It’s frustrating to see guys stand in this day and say I wouldn’t have changed anything,” he quipped.

“Well, hell, you’d have gotten fired again.”

He wouldn’t go into specifics of his offensive failures, instead praising cleaning up the program and building a foundation for the future.

“We’ve got a deep and talented roster, so don’t let that new guy tell you he ain’t got no good players,” he stated, bluntly.

Meanwhile, Foley outlined his blueprint for hiring Muschamp’s replacement. The search beings immediately, focusing heavily on candidates “with a proven track record of success on the offensive side of the ball.”

The Gators don’t have a firm timeline, but Foley hopes to have a coach in place before Christmas. He was quick to note Florida hasn’t contacted any potential candidates.

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Florida and Florida State signed a four-year extension for the football series. FSU travels to Gainesville to face the Gators in 2019 and 2021, and UF heads to Tallahassee to face the Seminoles in 2020 and 2022.